


Prophesy Fulfilled

by thenewadventuresofsinbad_archivist



Series: The NEW Adventures of Sinbad Fan-Fiction Season 2 [9]
Category: The Adventures of Sinbad (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-09-30
Updated: 2001-09-30
Packaged: 2019-03-15 22:58:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13623273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenewadventuresofsinbad_archivist/pseuds/thenewadventuresofsinbad_archivist
Summary: By IdnarThe crew travels to a kingdom with an age-old prophesy that puts Maeve in danger. Is she strong enough to save herself from the dangers that await there?





	Prophesy Fulfilled

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Merlin and Calvin, the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The New Adventures of Sinbad Fan Fiction Season 2](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_New_Adventures_of_Sinbad_Fan_Fiction_Season_2) and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The New Adventures of Sinbad Fan Fiction Season 2’s collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thenewadventuresofsinbad/profile).

* * *

**EPISODE 10 – PROPHESY FULFILLED**  
  
WRITTEN BY - IDNAR  
EDITED BY - ELIN, TOTO, MERLIN, CALVIN

* * *

**TEASER**

A misguided king from the Island of Utopia is worried about a long fortold prophesy coming true.

_The woman gravely shook her head.  "The fates have deemed that not to be.  Your family's rule will fall.”_

All the red haired women in the land are taken prisoner and put through trials to see if they are the one that the prophesy warned about.

_“What happens if they are proved a sorceress?”  Mustapha asked._

_“Death awaits them…”_

Will Maeve be able to prove that she's not a witch?

_“How should I know?  Do I look like a witch to you?”_

Or will the king make sure the prophesy is not fulfilled?

_“She will die!”  Lorenzo shouted as his face turned red in anger.  “Prepare for the burning.”_

Find out in "Prophesy Fulfilled" coming up next...

* * *

A man, tired from his long journey, entered a majestic house within a valley.  He looked around, capavated by the great sight before him.  His attention was distracted by a figure standing in the shadows to his right.  He looked the figure over and squinted before he finally realized that the silhouette was that of a woman.  She bowed although she never attempted to leave the comforting binds of the darkness that surrounded her.

”My King, I'm honored that you've come to visit my humble abode.”

He turned fully to face her.  ”Great prophet, I have come to seek your counsel and your great wisdom.”

He could tell by the way she stood that his words had intrigued her.

”How so?” she asked.

”I wish to know the fate of my family.  Will they rule this land forever?”

The woman gravely shook her head.  ”The fates have deemed that not to be.  Your family's rule will fall.”

The king clutched his fists and tried to calm his voice.  ”By whom?”

She shrugged.  ”All I am sure of, is that a woman of great power will bring a great turn about to this land, a woman of strength and born of red hair...”

~~~   
  
“Maeve... Maeve!”  Mustapha was trying to get the sorcerer apprentice's attention.  Sinbad had wanted all the crew to gather at the tiller ten minutes prior.  Mustapha repeated her name once more, and finally got her attention away from The Book of Darkness and Light.

“Huh?”

“Sinbad wants to talk to us.”

“Oh, coming.” She mumbled as she grabbed the book and began to walk over to where Sinbad was standing with the rest of the crew.  As she traveled, she continued to read.  Mustapha rolled his eyes as he watched her.  He didn't understand what was so interesting about magic or why Maeve wasted all her time learning it.  After his time with the crew he was convinced magic was nothing more than a one-way ticket to trouble.

“It's about time!” Sinbad said, interrupting his thoughts.  “We're going ashore.”

The crew was looking for a little rest and relaxation on the Island of Utopia .  After their last adventure they were ready to go anywhere, just as long as it was where things made sense.  Sinbad had heard of the little island from a barmaid who used to live there and after the ten-day journey, the three storms, and the worn out tempers, they all felt they could use the rest.

Sinbad stopped Maeve as the rest of the crew left the ship.  “Maybe you should leave the book here.  We don't know who might try to get it.”

She nodded as she remembered what happened on their trip to Gaul .  “I'll go put it away.  I'll meet you up on the dock.”

Down in her cabin, Maeve placed the book on her desk, opened to the page she had been reading.  After she'd put it down, she paused long enough to grab her cloak and put it on before leaving.  As the door shut, the breeze it created caused the book to change pages.

It stopped on a page that beheld a warning: ‘beware all practitioners of magic who are red of hair.  Tread lightly on the island of Utopia .  Take heed of this warning or your live you will risk.'

Mustapha looked curiously around the dock.  It was small, shabby and not many boats had anchored there.  He looked at the sky and smiled at the sun.  All he wanted to do was to get away and stretch his legs. He turned his eye towards his fellow crewmembers.  Doubar was scouting out a tavern; Sinbad was following Dermott's movements across the sky with his full attention, while Rongar was listening to Firouz as the latter droned on about his latest plans for a new experiment.

Mustapha didn't know what it was exactly, but there was something about the scientist that he hated.  A moment later he realized it was the closeness Rongar shared with the inventor that he didn't like.  After all that he and Rongar had went through and survived together, the moor had replaced him as soon as he was gone.  He shook his head, wondering, as he had many times before, why exactly he was brought back. He pushed those thoughts aside, as he saw Maeve come topside.  He didn't like to do too much of soul searching, it was just too painful.

When Maeve emerged topside, the cold air hit her in one giant wave, the chills it created caused her to raise her hood.  A moment after she did so, Dermott flew to her out-stretched arm, and together they met the rest of the crew.

“Ready?” Sinbad had asked her.

“Aye.”  She looked around to find that much of the other crewmembers had already headed into town.  All who were left were Sinbad, Doubar, Firouz, Rongar, and Mustapha.

“Alright!” Sinbad said; getting the distracted attentions focused on him. “You guys have until dusk to yourselves. Once it gets dark, head to the inn.”

“I don't know about the rest of you, but I'll already be there,” Doubar said with a smile, as Rongar nodded his concurrence cheerfully.  Sinbad also threw in his agreements.

“You guys have fun.  While you three are drinking, I'll be off in the woods.  I must begin the construction of my latest invention.  It's quite ingenious if I may say so myself.  I found a way to use my glue in a highly different, yet astonishing fashion…” Firouz declared to the group.

Mustapha rolled his eyes.  He had a feeling that Firouz, once again, was going to talk their ears off about another dumb invention.

‘Not if I could help it,' he thought as he opened his mouth, interrupting Firouz mid sentence.

“And I'll be taking a walk.”

They watched as Firouz gave Mustapha an evil look before they each headed off in a different direction, before looking at Maeve as she pulled her cloak tighter around herself.

“Where are you going?”  Doubar asked her.

“To the market.  If I'm not at the inn in twenty minutes, then I've met a man who's going to take me home,” she said playfully as she walked around a corner with Dermott on her arm.

Doubar and Rongar shook their heads before leaving.

Maeve heard Sinbad call after her in a teasing tone, “Only if he's blind!”

With that distracting her attention, she didn't notice that she was about to walk straight into a man.  When she did notice, it was too late and all she could do was to move Dermott out of the way as she and the man collided.  The man fell backwards and Maeve knelt down to help him up.

“I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!”  She said as she helped him to his feet.

He was in his twenties, about six feet tall, he had deep green eyes, light brown hair and a gentle, handsome look.  The man turned his face to see who had knocked him down.  The first thing he saw looking up was long, nicely toned legs, followed by an equally well-toned body.  His breath caught in his throat as his eyes fell upon her face and her brown eyes.

As she helped him up, he was speechless.  ‘She is truly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,' he thought to himself as he fought to regain his voice.

“That's ok, I wasn't watching where I was going either.”  He said once his head had reattached itself to his body.  Dermott squawked in displeasure, as if he knew what the stranger was thinking.

Just as Maeve removed her hood to get a better look at the stranger, a group of guards came around the corner.

“Get her!”  The one in the lead shouted.

“My prince, get back!”  Another one declared as he got in front of the man Maeve had bumped into.  As the two guards took their positions, Maeve had been surrounded.  Dermott flew at one guard but was caught.

“This bird will make a nice pet for the king!”  One man said.

“If not, he will certainly taste good!”  The one who held Dermott said as he was bitten.

Upon hearing that, Maeve drew her sword, ready for a fight.  One she never met, for she had been knocked unconscious from behind.  They took off her glove and along with it; her sword was left in the dirt.  The prince, knowing that arguing with his father's guards would be pointless, could only watch and slowly follow, as they took Maeve and Dermott with them.

~~~   
  
As time passed and Maeve didn't return, Sinbad began to get more and more worried about her.  “How long has it been since the crew left?”  He asked no one in particular.

“Over an hour.” Firouz answered momentarily looking up from the Y shaped stick he was grinding a hole in.

Every crewmember except Maeve and Mustapha had returned to the inn.

Doubar, who was in a jolly mood after having his fill of ale, laughed lightly.  “Maybe Mustapha took Maeve home?  I wouldn't expect them back tonight!”  His laughter increased to a point where he almost fell over; which only made Doubar laugh harder.

“Firouz,” Sinbad said as he looked out the window, “Take Doubar up to his room.”  Firouz nodded and put down the wood before leaving with Doubar.

After they had left Mustapha returned, just in time to see Sinbad and Rongar walk pass him.  “Where are we going?” He asked as he followed the pair.

“To find Maeve. She's been away much longer than she said.”

“So?”

“So, she would have sent Dermott back to let us know that she would be late.  I know something's wrong… I can feel it.”

They started walking back the way Maeve had went, Rongar in the lead.  As they reached the spot where Maeve had disappeared, Rongar found her gantlet.  Sinbad took it from his friend and looked at it with worry in his eyes.  Mustapha and Rongar kept searching the ground.

“Looks like there has been a quarrel,” Mustapha said.

He looked at something glinting in the sunlight: a sword.  Maeve's sword, he saw upon inspection.  He showed it to Sinbad, who's face then showed a determined look as he went up to an elderly man at one of the booths that lined the market.

“Excuse me?”  He said, gaining the man's attention. “Have you seen a woman come this way?  With a hawk.”

The man nodded.  “Yes, I did.  And unfortunately; so did the guards.”

Sinbad questioned him why that was.

“Well, my boy, it's a long story.  Come, all of you, sit, and I will tell you.”

Once all were seated behind the booth, the old man started telling them the tale.  “It all began ages ago, nearly nine hundred years, to be exact.

‘The king at that time went to the oracle, the reason isn't really known.  Some say it was to know if his family would remain in command of this great land in the same fashion as they had the previous centuries.  What he heard, however, was that a red headed sorceress would someday change the land and it would never be the same again.  The king, well, he always thought that change was evil and vowed that this would not happen.  So, from that day on, every woman born of red hair was imprisoned for life.  Where they would face trials to determine the use of magic.  My daughter, Myakka, was taken from me when she was 11.”  The man said with sadness in his eyes and pain evident on his face.

Sinbad didn't know what to make of this information.  He leaned to Rongar and told him to get Firouz at once.

As he did so, Mustapha asked:  “What happens if they are proved a sorceress?”

“Death awaits them…”

~~~   
  
Maeve had woken up just in time to watch the guards as they dragged her down a dimly lit hall, both sides of which were lined with cells full of women with red hair.  She struggled against the burly men holding her to no avail as they opened a cell at the end of the hall and threw her in it.

“Wait,” she half shouted. “Why am I here?”

“You are here because you are of red hair.”

“And that is a crime?  Then what is my punishment?  To have my hair dyed black?  Blonde maybe?”

“Joke all you want…” He started to walk away, but paused only to say:  “Your punishment is death.”

“Great.  Just great.”  She watched them leave before turning around to lean against the bars of the cell.  “What a fun vacation this is going to be.”  She looked up from the ground, and took in her surroundings.  The cell was small, dark, with pungent smells of rotting corpses and human waste.  She saw that she wasn't alone in the small cell.  There were two other women in the bleak chamber, their hair were all faded, but were still red, and their faces were as pale as ghosts'.  ‘Have they ever been outside?'  She asked herself as a girl, no older than 19 came up to her.  She was wearing clothes suitable for the trash and had frightened pale blue eyes.

“You're new here, to this island?”  She asked shyly looking at Maeve fully.

“Is it that obvious?”  Maeve asked, as she looked the girl over carefully.

“You look like you have seen the sun recently, and you are older than most here.”

“I guess we weren't told the details about this island.  And in truth, I am not that old.  But there are still a few things I don't understand.  I know about the red hair thing, and on the way in, I heard someone talk about the trials.  What are they?”

“Nothing to worry about really, unless you practice magic.”  Maeve kept silent as she heard the girl tell her more about these trials.  “They are simply tests, used to determine weather you use magic or not.  But once they are satisfied that you do not, they leave you alone to spend the rest of your life down in this delightful spot.” she finished with a sarcastic tone.

“What happens if you are a sorceress?”

“You die.”

“Great, sacrificed.  Why is it always redheads that get sacrificed?  Why can't it ever be a brunette?  Or a blonde even.”  She had said that to herself more than to anyone else, but the girl's eyes went wide as she heard it.

“You practice magic?  You're the one prophesied to change the land?  To end the royal family's tyranny?”

“Not that I know of.”  Something dawned on her.  She didn't even know the girl's name.

“Who are you?  How old are you?”

“I'm 18.  My name is Myakka.”

~~~   
  
Sinbad had relayed the information told to them by the old man, Leif, to Doubar and Firouz.

“We have to get her!” Firouz said.  His voice held a hint of panic.

“No?  Really?  I would never have guessed.”  Mustapha said, with more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Doubar watched his brother looking out the window, towards the palace.  “Quiet!”  His voice boomed.  “This isn't helping matters!”

“Doubar's right.” Sinbad agreed. “First things first, we need to find out all we can about this prophecy.  Firouz, you and Mustapha…” He paused, as he thought of the two of them alone together.  “Just stay away from each other.  Doubar, try to find out as much as you can about this prophecy.  Mustapha, go find out about this Oracle; Rongar, I want you to see what kind of guards the palace has.  Firouz, stay here and put that mind of yours to work, while I go talk to some merchants about provisions.”

“Not planning to stay long, are we little brother?” Doubar asked with a smile.

~~~   
  
Maeve stood still, as she heard footsteps coming towards her cell.  It was the man, the prince she had met earlier that day, or maybe it was earlier than a day.  She couldn't recall.  Maeve looked at him suspiciously as he entered the cell, the guards outside stood at attention as he passed.

His face relaxed once he saw that she was unharmed.  “Hello.” the prince managed to say.  He looked at her and his breath caught in his throat just as it had before.

Maeve stood proud.  “Hello?” She crossed her arms. “You have the nerve to stand there, after doing nothing about these pigs putting an innocent woman in prison, and say ‘hi'?  Who do you think you are?”

The prince smiled at her honesty; he had never met a woman who dared to stand up against him.  “I think I am the prince,” he said bluntly, not bothering to hide his intrigue.  But his tone changed, and it became softer and sincere with what he said next: “And as for you being imprisoned: for that I am sorry.  A maiden should never be treated unfairly.  But, in my defense, this law is not my own, and it is one I cannot change.  Believe me, if I could do something to get you from here, I would.”

She raised her eyebrow causing his smile to widen.  “What is that suppose to mean?  That you have no say in the affairs of the land?  You are the prince.”

“But my father is in control, and talking to him is like talking to a stone wall.  Don't worry, as soon as the trials are over, I will try to get you released.  Father just worries that an evil witch will change things.”

“Well, I can assure you that I am no evil witch.  Or any type of witch for that matter.”

“I know that.”

Again her eyebrow rose.  “You do now?”

“Yes.  There is no way someone with such a pretty face could be evil.”  Maeve recalled the crews' last adventure.  ‘I don't know about that' she thought to herself.

“I will do what I can to free you.”  She frowned.  “I see that you hold some doubt.”

“I guess you could say that I haven't had any good experiences of being kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped?”  The word was sharp, and there was anger behind his eyes.  “You were not kidnapped.  You were taken prisoner for breaking a law.”

“I think you are confused!  First you say that this law is wrong and now you are defending it?!?  What it is that you want?  What do you believe?”

“You don't understand…”

She interrupted him. “You're right, I don't, and I couldn't care less.”  She turned her back to him and he took that as a sign to leave.  As he did so, Maeve reared around and spoke as he stood outside.  “Wait, I am sorry.”

“Why?”  His question caught her off guard.  “You're right.”

“Will you do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Could you find out what happened to my hawk?”  He nodded and left.  Maeve sat down to wait.  For the trials, seeing the prince, or being rescued by Sinbad, she couldn't tell.

‘Where is he?'  Maeve thought ‘They must be aware of my disappearance by now.'

The crew met up at the tavern at dusk.

“What did you find out Doubar?” Sinbad asked his brother.

“Not much, I'm afraid.  Most people are in favor of the trials, and the law.  The only ones against it are people like Leif, who has had family and friends taken away.”

“What are the trials?”

“Well, there are three of them: the trial by fire, the rat test, and the trial by water.  The only one that I know about is the trial by water.  The only reason that anything is known about that one is because it happens at the lake, outside the palace.  The women are tied, so they can't swim.  They are anchored, and then thrown into the lake.  After 5 minutes they are hauled out.”

“They would die,” Firouz said in disbelief.

Sinbad looked to Doubar, trying not to imagine that being done to Maeve.  “How do they know if the accused woman is a witch?”

“I don't know.  But from what I heard, that trial is only done if the woman is still suspected of witchcraft.  After that, if they are found innocent, they may live in the dungeon for the rest of their lives.”

“And if they are guilty?”

“Like Leif said, they die.  They're burned at the stake.”  Sinbad cringed at the thought.

~~~   
  
“Your highness…” a guard said as he entered the throne room and knelt before the king.

“What is it?”  The king, Lorenzo, asked; he was obviously irritated by the interruption.

The man rose and glanced at the prince before continuing.  “We have a new prisoner.  She is a foreigner.”  The king's attention perked up as he heard that.  “We think that she could be the one.”

The king nodded.  “Begin the trials at once.”  The guard nodded and turned to leave.  He stopped only to hear what his king said next:  “Spare no mercy on this one.”

The prince rose out of his seat next to his father.  “What?  You'll kill her.”

“That is the point son.  And if it doesn't, she's guilty of witchcraft.  Then she'll die regardless.”

“But…”

King Lorenzo raised his hand and silenced his son.  He rose from his throne and went to the cage behind it.  “When you are king, you will understand.  But until that point in time you will respect my decisions.”  The king looked at his son.  “Why do you want this one spared?”

“I don't know father.  There's just something about her that; I don't know.”

His father looked at his son who was now beside him, looking at the hawk within the cage.

~~~   
  
Sinbad looked at Mustapha.  He had just heard the latest, extremely detailed report on Firouz's invention and was hoping to hear something encouraging that actually dealt with the problem at hand.  News from Rongar concerning the palace's heavy guard hadn't been what he was hoping for.

“What did you find out about the Oracle?” he asked Mustapha, who was pulling out a map.

“It's in a valley about a day and a half's ride North East from here.”

Sinbad nodded.

“Why wouldn't anyone just go there?”  Doubar asked.  “Wouldn't this oracle be concerned about heavy traffic?”

Mustapha shook his head.  “Not from what I heard.  According to the towns-people, the prophet is under the protection of the Sal de Hune.”

“The what?”  Sinbad asked; he looked around the table as he wondered if he was the only one who was confused.

“The Sal de Hune.”  Mustapha repeated.  “I guess it's this thing that all people who are able to predict the future have.  It allows them limited power or something.  Maeve could probably tell you more.”

“Why would he need to know about it if Maeve was here?”  Firouz asked.

Sinbad looked between the two men, he was definitely not in the mood for their irrelevant bickering.  “Enough!”  He said between gritted teeth as he rubbed his temples.  “This isn't getting us anywhere.”

“Not having a plan is getting us no where too.”  Mustapha countered.

Sinbad looked at him.  “What makes you think that I don't have a plan?”

Mustapha tried to come up with an answer.  When he couldn't think of anything Doubar laughed lightly.

“Never doubt the captain.”  He looked from Mustapha to his little brother.  “So, Captain, what's the plan?”

Sinbad stood quiet.  “Simple: for you, Mustapha and Firouz, it's going to bed.  Tomorrow you're going to see that oracle.”

Firouz doubtfully glanced at Mustapha before looking at Sinbad.  “What?  Why?”

“I need you guys to talk to the oracle and find out what will happen to Maeve and if there is anything we can do about it.  Now, if what Leif and Doubar told us is correct, there will be a little over a week before the final test will take place.  At that time, the final decision will be made about what happens to her.  Which means that you have almost a week to get there and back in time to save Maeve during the final test.”

Now it was Mustapha's turn to look doubtful.  “But why us?”

“Since we don't have magic on our side, you will need both Firouz's science and your battle-skills. Doubar is going to make sure you two don't kill each other. Also there's safety in numbers.”  He looked carefully at each one of them.  “You leave at dawn.”

~~~   
  
“Rise and shine, wench,” a guard called to the lightly sleeping Maeve.  He took the end of his staff and poked her side harshly through the bars.

“What do you want, you demonic ass?”

He sneered at her comment, but she ignored the look as she climbed to her feet.  “It's time for the first trial.”  He said, walking into the cell.  The other women in the cell slid away from the approaching guard as he grabbed Maeve's wrists tightly.

“Which is?”  She asked as she struggled against his grip.  He called another guard in as he did his best to keep a hold of her.  The other guard came in and firmly hit her across the face.  She staggered back a step until she had regained her balance.  Her head was spinning as she let them lead her down the hall into a room they called “The Pit”.

She could understand why, when her feet hit the dirt floor of the cold, dark room.  There was only one entrance, which, when fully closed looked like the walls.  Only the creases gave it away.  Lining the walls were different torture items.  In the middle of the room was a chair and along one side, a man was putting hot coals over a section of the floor.  Maeve's eyes went wide when she heard what the head-guard was saying to another guard.  From his appearance, Maeve guessed that he was just learning the ropes.

“Alright, Logan , this test is called the trial by fire. The witch is going to walk over the coals, and if the wound is healed in two days, there is a good chance that she uses witchcraft and will be taken for the second test.”

‘Funny,' Maeve thought. 'After using fire to aid me, it will now be turned against me.  Well, not if I can help it.'  As they removed her boots, Maeve recalled a spell that Dim Dim had told her.  And as they led her to the coals she murmured it.

_“Let shadows fall_  
_On the source that burns_  
_Let the Dark cover the light_  
_And the cold smother the heat.”_

Maeve huffed as nothing happened.  She closed her eyes; her head was still hurting from when she was slapped.  She quickly forgot the pain in her head as she stepped onto the burning hot coals.  A guard on each side of the coals forced her slowly over the pile.  She could smell her flesh burn with each step she was forced to take.  She bit her lip harshly, almost hard enough to draw blood, in order to keep herself from screaming.  When she was over the coals, she, and her boots were taken back to her cell.

~~~   
  
Sinbad watched as the sun rose.  Maeve had left the morning before, and there was still no word from her, Dermott, or any guards.  Sinbad was steady getting more and more worried; in fact he had hardly slept a wink during the night.  He didn't know what bothered him the most; the fact that Maeve was missing, or that he could only guess about the horrors the palace's guards were subjecting her to.  Doubar walked outside, and took his place beside his little brother.

“Ready to go?”  Sinbad asked him.  He never took his eyes off the palace that loomed in the distance.  The sun was rising behind it, casting shadows over the front.  To Sinbad, it looked like it was taunting him, teasing him with the fact that it had Maeve and that he couldn't do anything about it.

“Yeah.  Thinking about Maeve?”  Doubar asked, once he noticed his brother's preoccupied look.

“Is it that obvious?”  Doubar nodded.  “What if, by the time we get her out of there, its too late?  What if we never get her?”

“We will.  And don't you go thinking otherwise.  Until we do find her, she is well capable of taking care of herself.”  Sinbad looked at his brother, his eyes glowing with curiosity, a look that didn't pass unnoticed by Doubar.  “What?”

“How can you do that?  Making me feel confident, when I doubt that you feel that way yourself.”

“Even now little brother, you can call my bluff.  So can she.”  He put his hand on his little brothers shoulder.  “We'll find her.”

“I hope you're right.” Sinbad said, looking back at the sky.

“So do I, little brother.  So do I.”

~~~   
  
After Maeve had reached the cell, the prince came to visit her.  His face was clouded with worry as he saw her burnt feet.  He came into the cell, and knelt beside her.  “I've found your hawk.  He's in the throne room, behind my father.”  He found a cloth and water and started to clean her feet.

“Why?”  She asked, looking at him.  Her voice was unsteady despite her best efforts to stay composed.  “Why are you helping me?”

“Because you were right and my father's law is wrong.  I know that now, and I will help you get free, like you helped me.  It's the least I can do.”

“No.  The least you can do is stopping this from happening to other people.”

“It's not that simple.  My father would never let everyone go.  I even doubt that he'll listen to me and let you go.  Now, is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Yeah.” she said with a slight, painful smile. “You can tell me your name.”

“Dante.  Now you can return the favor.”

Maeve thought a moment, wondering if she should trust the prince.  “Maeve.”

“Well, Maeve.  What brings you to this island?”

“The ship I sail on.”  She declared.  “The Nomad.”

“Ah, so you were on that strange ship that is docked in our harbor.  Who is your captain?  Wouldn't he be worried about you?”

“My captain is Sinbad and I would guess that he's looking for me.”

“Sinbad?  The master of the seven seas is your captain?”

“Last time I checked.”

“What is he like?”

“Sinbad?”  He nodded.  She smiled, her pain momentarily forgotten, as she recalled her captain.

“He's kind, smart, cunning and stubborn. He has the bluest eyes, and the softest hair.  He's the type of person that you can't help but trust.  You feel safe around him, and he's always willing to be there for you and listen to what you have to say.”

“It sounds to me that you care about him a lot.”

“Well of course I do.  He's my captain.”

“Nothing more?”

She looked at him.  For the first time she realized that he shared some of the same qualities as Sinbad.  “What more would there be?”

“I don't know, love?”  He changed the subject when she raised an accusing eyebrow at him.

“You better get your rest.  You have only two days until the next trial.”

Maeve nodded, although she really didn't care.  ‘Sinbad will find me by then.' she thought.

~~~   
  
Sinbad and Rongar spent their time wisely.  They learned about the defenses of the palace and as much as they could about the trials.  Sinbad looked up from his paper where he had drawn a map of the palace to look at its full guise.  Rongar noticed it and asked him in sign language what he was thinking about, although he already had a good idea what was on his captain's mind.

“I was just wondering what Maeve's going through.  And who knows what's become of Dermott?  They might have eaten him.”  Rongar caught his attention and told him that they'll be all right.  “I know, Rongar.”  He smiled slightly to himself before changing the subject.  “I wonder how Doubar's holding up?  Do you think Mustapha and Firouz are at it again?”

Rongar nodded and made a disgusted face.  If there was anything he was sure of, it was that Doubar wasn't a lucky man to be stuck between with those two.

~~~   
  
Doubar rode ahead of the bickering Firouz and Mustapha.  He closed his eyes as he recalled the uneventful travel to the valley that they had just entered.  They hadn't stopped fighting since they left town and Doubar wasn't happy.  He was soar from the unusual amount of riding he was doing, the lack of sleep, and his worrying about Maeve and Dermott, all that combined with the migraine he had developed somewhere around the third league of their journey made Doubar hate his brother for making him go.  His only hope was that they'd loose their voices.  He stopped when he saw a majestic looking house in front of him.  It was just peaking over the horizon.  He figured that they'd reach their destination before nightfall. 

~~~   
  
Meanwhile, Maeve had spent her time thinking and getting to know the prince better, for he had visited her many times during the previous two days.  He was even there when her almost healed feet were inspected and she was taken off to the pit for the second trial, the rat test.

“Logan.” the head guard again informed the new sentry as Maeve was being tied to the chair.  “This test is the simplest.  After the witch is tied, we wait until a rat or other rodent approaches her.  If she communicates with it, she will then be taken out for the trial by water…”

Maeve ignored them after that point in his explanation as she focused her attention on a small rat that slowly approached her.  She closed her eyes and started to plead it to not come near her.

“Please..” she whispered, catching the attention of the guards.  “Stay away.”

She struggled as she listened closely to the quiet voice in her head.  “You must get out.   You are the one.  Now, listen to me…there is an escape route under the wall of the castle, in the other side of the garden, by the fountain.  You must go to it.  I will take you to it and to freedom.”

“Why are you helping me?”  The guards walked closer to watch the exchange.  They were surprised, as if they had never seen such a sight before.

“The people need their freedom, and if you say the rats helped the people, they may give us food.”  Maeve smiled at the rat's last comment, but her smile faltered when the rat looked at the guards.  “And people think WE stink.”

The head guard came up and scared it away.  He then looked at Maeve.  “What did he say, witch?”

“How should I know?  Do I look like a witch to you?”

He leaned closer to her.  “Yeah, you do.”

“Well, you look like a decent person.  I guess appearances are defiantly deceiving.”

He reached out and smacked her across the face drawing blood from her mouth and nose.  He sneered at her before he looked at Logan .

“Take her back to her cell.  And watch out so she doesn't place you under a spell.”

Logan nodded quickly and hurried to comply and untie Maeve.  He had just gotten her to her feet when she grabbed him by the arm and flipped him.  On his way to the ground, Maeve took his sword from its sheath and stood in a defensive stance, prepared to fight her way out of the castle.

She started to back up towards the rat as the three guards made a semi circle in front of her.

The head guard looked at Logan who held his back as he got to his feet.  “Go tell the King.  And send for more guards!”  Logan nodded as he ran for the exit.

“Your Majesty!”  Logan cried out as he ran into the thrown room.  “The witch is trying to escape!”

King Lorenzo looked at his son before meeting the eyes of the frightened guard once more.  “How many guards are down there?”

“Three Sire.  But I called for a dozen more.”

The King nodded approvingly.  “She can't possibly beat fifteen of my men.  Now, tell me, how did she get on with the second trial?”

“She talked to it, Sire.  I heard her with my own ears.”

The king smiled.  “She's the one.  Good work soldier, good work.  Make the preparations for the third trial.  Make it for the day after tomorrow.”

The guard looked confused.  “Why then, Sire?  We can be ready for tomorrow.”

“I know.”  The king informed him as he moved towards his throne.  “We're going to have a little fun first.  It's time to make that witch pay for all those years of torment she caused my fore fathers.”

Dante could only listen to what was being said since he was too surprised to move.  ‘Maeve a witch?'  He couldn't believe the rage he felt.  He had believed her when she told him that she wasn't.  The prince heard Dermott squawk in anger as he left the throne room, but he ignored he.  He had to have a little chat with Maeve.   
  
Firouz led the way up to the home of the prophet.  He was about to enter when Doubar placed his hand on the inventor's shoulder to stop him.

“Should we really go barging in there?”  Doubar asked.

Mustapha and Firouz exchanged bewildered looks as they momentarily forgot their mutual hatred.

“Doubar,” Mustapha addressed, “You are usually the one barging into these types of situations.  Don't tell me that the egg head here is rubbing off his cautious attitude on you!”

Firouz faced him.  “What's wrong with being cautious?  I happen to remember how you ended up after a certain reckless stunt: dead!”

Doubar rolled his eyes as he dragged his arguing friends into the building and felt his headache worsen.  He stopped in his tracks when he saw the interior of the home.  It was spacious, more so than the outside should have allowed.  The floor, walls and ceilings were white and tapestries were hung everywhere, each showing a different event in history.  Doubar stopped in front of one that rang a bell in his head.  It was of a ship (what was left of a ship) in the water during a fierce storm.  Attached to a piece of driftwood were a toddler and a boy, no older than nine.  In the sky was a demonic figure hidden within the darkened, deadly clouds.

While Doubar continued to look at the tapestry, Firouz discovered a large circular mirror in the middle of the room.  It appeared to be suspended from the ceiling, but Firouz couldn't detect anything holding it up.

“Impossible…” he mumbled to himself.

Mustapha crossed his arms.  “So is coming back from the dead, but here I am.”

“A shame, isn't it?”  Firouz said with a bitter tone.

Mustapha was about to yell something back when they both heard a booming voice coming from a doorway across from the wall where Doubar stood.

“Silence!”

The three crewmembers spun in its direction.  Mustapha and Doubar both grabbed the hilt of their swords while Firouz only squinted towards the shadows, trying to make out the hidden form within them.

“Why have you come here?”  The voice bellowed.  It was that of a female, and it held much authority.

“You're suppose to know the future, so you tell us.”  Mustapha said with skepticism.

The woman turned her head out of the shadows to look at Mustapha.  “What's the matter Mustapha? Are you that afraid of the future?  You should be lucky you even have one.”  They felt her widen her gaze to examine them all carefully.  She laughed quietly to herself before speaking.  “I can't believe you three were sent.”

Firouz looked at her, clearly offended.  “And why's that?”

“You are supposed to reason with me.  You need to find out about Maeve, yet you can't even reason with each other.  So why should I help you?”

“Because we have done good things in the past and have only the best intentions.”

She shook her head at the friendly giant.  “Doubar, even the most evil of men can have the best of intentions.”  She raised her arm and a picture of King Lorenzo appeared within the depths of the giant mirror.  “Take the ruler of this land for example.  He has taken dozens of girls from their families and tortured them.  This would make him evil, yes, but his intent; to protect his people from evil and getting harmed, is not.”

“Point of fact….” Firouz said, looking at the floor, as the gears in his head were working as much as they could. “The end doesn't justify the means.  And you were the one who gave him the means.  You are the one who told him of the sorceress that would make change within the land.”

She shrugged in the darkness.  “Perhaps, but there are many possible endings for one mean, for one prediction.”

“What?”  Mustapha asked her, slightly confused.

“The future is such an unstable thing: although it can be predicted, there are things that can be done to change it and the future may end up not as it was predicted; depending on your course of action.”

“For each action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  Firouz said, as he finally understood.

She nodded and he could tell she was smiling.  “Yes, and it's the actions you make now that will determine the reaction, that will determine which future that will play out in the end.  Some may say that Lorenzo took the wrong course of action, yet some may not.”

“What do you say?”  Doubar asked.

“I say you should sit down, because this will take a while…”

~~~   
  
Dante entered the cell with an angry look on his face.  Maeve turned her face up to look at him from where she sat.  She had a swollen lip from her fight with the guards and didn't look all too happy.

“A witch!”  Dante yelled as the cell door closed behind him.  She stood up as he continued his accusations.  “You're a witch!  You looked me in the eyes and swore that you weren't!”

“I am not!”  She yelled back.

He crossed his arms.  “Do you think you can fool me twice?  Do I look that stupid to you?”

She raised an eyebrow.  “Do you really want me to answer that?”

“This is no time for jokes, Maeve.  You lied to me.”

She shook her head.  “No, Dante, the truth is, I didn't.”  He looked at her slightly confused by her soft tone.  “I'm not a witch.  Sorceress, yes, but not a witch.”

“There's a difference?”

“More than you think.  Witches have familiars, animals that they answer to.  They are spawns of devils and demons.  Sorceresses answer to themselves. They can speak with animals and they have powers, just like witches do, only sorceresses' powers come from within, it's their life essence, but it's stronger than that of normal people's and it's not given to them: they have to earn it, and learn to control it.  And most of the time, witches and sorceresses are enemies.”

“Which are good?”

“There are some good witches and some bad, just as there are some evil sorceresses and some good ones.”  She shrugged.  “Lately I've found that the evil is quickly outnumbering the good.”

He looked into her eyes, having a battle with himself weather he should believe her, or not. He smiled as he went with his heart winning over his head.  “I'm sorry.”

“You better be.”  She smiled slightly, trying to ignore the pain in her lip.  “Why don't you stop him?”

“My father?”  He asked.  She nodded.  “I can't, I'm only one person.”

Maeve thought a moment.  “It takes only one person to make a difference.  And you can make yours by getting help.”

“From who?”

She smiled coyly.  “Sinbad.”

~~~   
  
Doubar, Firouz and Mustapha all sat on a bench by the tapestry that Doubar had watched earlier.  The woman was still standing within the shadows.  Mustapha looked around the room.  Although it was painted white, there were many shadows.  He asked her why that was.

“The shadows can only exist in light.  The light is constantly fighting the shadows away, but once it succeeds, it too will cease to exist.  The same is said about good and evil: you cannot have one without having the other.  Life is a delicate balance and every time an event is altered, so is the future.”

Mustapha looked at her.  “What about me?  I was dead.  What effect will my being alive have?”

Again she raised her arm, signaling the mirror into action.  A scene of Mustapha being surrounded by death and decay showed up.  All around him was darkness, fear and loneliness.  “You have wondered why you were brought back.  This is what would have happened it you were not.  You would have remained in the place with no hope, happiness or love.  You would relive your painful past and your fears would be shown to you every day.  You could not have escaped the place between heaven and hell.”  She paused as the scene changed.  It showed Sinbad with empty eyes and no hope, Doubar with a saddened, angered demeanor, Firouz with a fierce air and Rongar with a pulled back expression and a fearful appearance.  She looked at him.  “Although you will cause your friends drastic change in the future, you will make the mistakes that you've committed right again.  You serve as a reminder of hope to the crew; you must give them the reliance and strength that they must draw from you so that they can fulfill their destinies.”

She widened her gaze to include Firouz:  “Someday you two will come to an understanding.  But weather you have to suffer a loss of a friend first, is up to you.”

Doubar glanced back at the tapestry once again.  She caught sight of his gaze and answered his unasked question.

“All the tapestries on the walls are events that have molded the present and will change the future.”  She met his eye and even through the darkness Doubar knew that the scene depicted on the tapestry was taken from his youth.

“But why this?”

“This was the moment when the future, no matter the events that followed, decided that Sinbad would be the one to change the future for the better.  There are certain events and things that are meant to be.  When one of those take place, a tapestry appears.”

“Like what?”  Firouz asked, hardly believing his ears.

“Like the fact that your inventions will change the world.  That your adventures will live in the hearts of people for centuries to come, and it knows when a love is strong enough to conquer the world.”

Doubar smiled.  “Is Sinbad and Maeve's one of those loves?”  He, Mustapha and Firouz chuckled as the woman shook her head.

“Only time can tell.  But for now, know only that they will become close and he will understand her in a way no one else does.”

Mustapha chuckled as the possible meanings for her words ran through his mind.  He suddenly recalled their reason for visiting the prophet.  “Where is Maeve now?”

“Maeve is in the palace's dungeon.  She is found guilty of being a witch.  The final trial to eliminate all doubts, will take place the day after tomorrow.  Sinbad will try to help her but will only condemn her.  She is the one.”

They looked at each other curiously.  “Can we see her?”  Doubar asked.

The woman nodded and raised her hand.  Again, the giant mirror began to show an image, a scene.  They all began to watch it intently.

The prince had just left and Maeve had the unnerving feeling she was being watched, but as she looked around, she found nothing.  She shook her head slightly as the cell door opened.  Standing in front of her were four guards.  The one in the lead gave her a cruel grin that held promise of the events yet to come.  “Come on, witch!”

She stood up to face them.  She wasn't going to back down.  “What did you say?”

He sneered as he looked at his guards.  “Chain her.”  He watched as they did what they had been told to.  They had a small struggle, but after a few minutes, Maeve was securely tied.

She wriggled within the chains as they marched her past the head guard.  “I ought to teach you some manners.”

He followed them closely as they led her out, into the dim hall.  “There's going to be a lesson alright, but I'm going to be the teacher.”

Maeve couldn't think straight as they roughly pulled her into ‘The Pit' and chained her hands to the shackles, hanging from the ceiling.  She turned slightly to see what the guards were doing behind her.  Her eyes widened when she saw the head guard bring out a whip.  She winced involuntarily as they cracked it behind her.  She forced her eyes closed and bit her lip as she waited for the enviable moment when the whip touched her flesh.  Despite her best efforts to stay quiet she winced and half yelled when the whip snapped across her back.  Even through her clothes she could feel the stinging heat it caused over her entire body.  To her surprise and fear, it caused another sensation within her.  She could feel the surge of power building; she tried to suppress it to no avail.  When the whip cracked down again, sparks flew and the head guard had to let the whip go.

“What is it?”  One of his comrades asked.

He clutched his hand.  “I don't know. I just felt like I was hit by lightning.”  He looked at Maeve as he picked the whip up again.  “You're going to pay for that, witchy!”

Mustapha had to look away at the vision of the head guard again hitting Maeve with the whip.  He knew all too well what she was going though and never wanted to relive it again.  He wouldn't even wish that treatment on an enemy.

“How can you call this man, Lorenzo, good?”  Doubar spat.

“He is simply misguided.  There will come a day when he will not rule.  When that day comes his successor will not repeat his mistakes.  History will not repeat.”  She looked at them for a moment.  “You must go if you wish to return in time to save your friend.  Trust your hearts and instincts; they won't lead you wrong.  And remember: the future, your future, is not etched in stone.”

~~~   
  
Dante looked around the town carefully.  The moon was out and so were a number of soldiers.  He had left an hour after Maeve convinced him that she wasn't a witch.  He didn't know why but he believed her completely and sighed with determination as he looked at the inn intently.  He checked for soldiers before crossing the road and entered it undetected, and he immediately sought out any man who could fit the description that Maeve had given him.  He smiled as he noticed a man in the corner with blue eyes.  He was looking at a paper with another man, a black one.  Dante was caught off guard as the man slammed his fist onto the table.

“There has to be a way into there!  How come we can't find it?”  He overheard the man say.

He watched intently as the black man made some hand gestures.

The blue-eyed man shook his head.  “Rongar, we can't just barge in there, as much as we might want too.  We don't want any more harm to be done to Maeve as we already don't know what horrors she might be facing right now.”

Dante smiled. He started walking over to the table, deciding that he must be Sinbad.  “Sinbad?”

Sinbad looked up at him as he spoke before he nodded.  “Yes.”

Dante bowed.  “I am Prince Dante.”

Sinbad did a half bow from where he sat.  “Well, my Prince what can we do for you?”

“Actually I have come to aid you.”

Sinbad looked at Rongar for a moment.  “How is that, My Prince?”

“I have news about Maeve.”

When Sinbad heard that his attention peeked.  “Maeve?”

The prince nodded.  “Yes, she is being held within the palaces dungeon, the day after tomorrow she will be taken to the lake were she will be forced to undergo the last of the trials.  If she fails it then she will be burned at the stake.”

“How do we know if she fails the trial?”

Dante shrugged.  “Of that I do not know.  I have never been alive during the times that this test was necessary.”

“Then how do you plan on helping us?”

Dante held out a map.  “This will take you to the site of the final trial, there you can save Maeve.  If you fail then you will have a chance to save her at the burning.  I will meet you at the lake tomorrow.”

Sinbad stood up with the map in his hand as he watched the prince leave.

He looked at Rongar.  “Hopefully Doubar will be back by then.”

~~~   
  
“Did we come this way?”  Doubar asked as he saw a village coming into view.

Mustapha shrugged.  “Why don't you ask the one with the map?  Did you get us lost?”

Firouz shot him a look.  “No.  This is a different route back to the town.”

Doubar rolled his eyes as another round of fighting between his comrades began.  He had had enough: “Would you two shut up?!?”

“Please Grandpa.”  A small girl of seven asked, “Please tell us about him again.”  Her pleads were joined by the other small children who had gathered around the older man on the front step of his home in a small village.

He sighed.  “Alright, but only once more.”  They all cheered.  “Every year around this time a man with a beard that's going gray, a belly that shows no knowledge of hunger rides into town with two of his helpers, funny little creatures known for their constant bickering.  Anyway this man…”  He paused.  “Can anyone tell me his name?”

“Kris Cringle?”  His granddaughter asked.

“That's right.  Every year Kris Cringle and his two loyal, yet annoying elves ride into town to deliver children with stories and good tidings.”

“How will know if it's him?”  A small, shy child asked.

“You will know by the fighting between the two elves.  Kris Cringle is always disciplining them for it, but like some boys and girls they don't listen.  That's why he does not like bad children, they remind him of his helpless workers.”

The children all began to laugh as they heard the sound of bickering coming from the edge of town and the booming voice saying: “Would you two shut up?!?”

The children looked around with wondrous expressions, before all at once they jumped up and ran towards the new comers with their parents in toe.

“Kris!”  They all yelled out as they approached the three-crew members.

Doubar looked at Firouz who shrugged.  Their silent questions were answered when the girl ran back to her grandfather and clutched his hand.

“Grandpa, Grandpa it's him!”  Her smile took up her entire face.  “Its Kris Cringle!  He came, he actually came!  He's going to tell us a story!”  She then left her grandfather and moved up to Doubar.  “You are going to tell us one aren't you Kris Cringle?  We've all been good.”

Doubar had a vacant expression on his face as he again looked at Firouz.

Firouz shrugged at Doubar's unasked question.  “Their reaction to you is truly unusual yet I do not know the reason for it.”

At the same time that conversation was taking place a little boy had walked over to Mustapha's horse and stared at its rider.  “You sure are a funny looking elf.”

“Maybe I can be off assistance,” the grandfather of the first little girl offered as he moved past the other children.  “You see we have a tradition in these parts about a jolly man and two bickering elves that ride into town around this time very year, who, if the children had been good, would tell them a story.  It is merely a coincidence that you three travelers meet the description given.  I'm sorry to be a bother but, the children have been looking forward to this and if it's no trouble…”

Doubar smiled.  “Don't think of it,” he said as he climbed off his horse, “We do have to be somewhere but we can take a little time to tell these dear children a story.”

A cheer went out and the children surrounded Doubar as the grandfather led the friendly giant to the chair he had once sat in, leaving Firouz and Mustapha to see to the horses before slowly following behind.

“Do you want to hear about the famous Sinbad that sailor?”  A series of yeses, and other approving sounds rang out.  Doubar's previous smile widened, “And do you want to hear about one of his most daring adventures where he and his extraordinary crew faces the dangerous Scratch with the combined forces of the evil Rumina and Turok?”

They again gave their approval before Doubar began the recently experienced tale.

~~~   
  
Maeve was almost unconscious as she was dragged back to her cell.  She was bleeding in more places than she could count and her dress was ripped and drenched with the sweat and blood from her stay in the dungeon.  As the growing darkness finally won its battle and slowly bid her to sleep she thought herself lucky for having another outfit back on the Nomad. 

~~~   
  
The children and parents waved the three travelers off after the story had been finished and a small meal was eaten.

Doubar looked at Firouz.  “How much time did we loose?”

“Three hours.”

Mustapha shook his head.  “And there are no more short cuts either.  I take it we're not stopping for the night.”

“No,” Firouz said slowly, “We shall be cutting it close enough as it is.  You heard the prophet; in trying to save Maeve, Sinbad shall only condemn her.  We must warn him against taking action.”

~~~   
  
It was dawn when Sinbad and Rongar met Prince Dante by the lake.  Sinbad was about to speak when Dante shushed him and pointed to the platform where Maeve, battered and beaten was slowly being tied up.  Her legs were being attached to a weight and the long rope that was being fastened to her bound wrists was also attached to a giant wheel, used to pull the person back in once the trial was over.

Dante moved his finger to the man dressed in finery who was standing out of the way.  “That is my father, King Lorenzo.”

Sinbad quickly looked at the king before looking at Maeve.  With his eyes he followed the rope tied to her hands up through the support that loomed out over the platform on which they stood, to the wheel where the rope rested.  An idea came to him as he recalled what Firouz said about his latest invention.

“It's a hand sized version of the catapult,” the inventor had said, “I utilized the glue and refined it so it created a long rope which stretches and allows the object placed in the holster to fly great distances.”

Sinbad snapped his fingers before picking up a rock.  “Rongar, get the whatcha ma call it of Firouz's.”

With a nod Rongar pulled out the Y shaped stick with a length of a white twisted material and a leather holster on it.  Sinbad handed him the rock.

“Wait until I get into the water, then hit that rope.  Understand?”  Sinbad waited until Rongar nodded before leaving them and quietly moved down to the lake's edge.  Slowly he waded in until waist deep before watching as Maeve was thrown in the lake.

Just as Sinbad dived under the water Rongar, with his impeccable aim hit the rope that was sticking out of the water.

The royalty and guards on the platform started to gasp at the same time under the surface, Maeve began to sink.  Sinbad had his dagger out as he reached her.  With a reassuring smile he cut the rope away from her bare legs before freeing her hands.  With a last smiled he swam away as she rose to the surface.

Lorenzo's eyes were wide when he saw the approaching figure.  With a silent command the guards drew their swords and waited for Maeve to break the surface of the water.  When she did the guards dragged the gasping and coughing woman and pulled her to the platform where her arms were again tied.

“She will die!”  Lorenzo shouted as his face turned red in anger.  “Prepare for the burning.”  With that he stormed away.

~~~   
  
They walked in silence as they returned to the town.  They looked up when three familiar figures rode into view.

“Sinbad,” Doubar called, “We have news.”

Firouz nodded as he pulled his horse to a halt.  “The prophet told us that while trying to help Maeve, you'll only condemn her to an even worst fate.”

“Death,” Sinbad said with a nod.  “We know.”

“When will it take place?”  Mustapha asked as he dismounted.

“Within the day.”  Dante informed them.  “It always does with any crime.  It will take time to prepare the stage and to spread the word.”

Doubar looked at Sinbad.  “Who's he?”

“Doubar, Firouz, Mustapha this is Prince Dante.”

Doubar, Firouz and Mustapha all bowed.

“That was not necessary.”  Dante informed them before turning his attention back to Sinbad.

“The stage is just outside the dungeon and is used for all public executions.  Just follow the crowd when it comes time.”

Sinbad nodded.  “You should return to the palace before you are missed.”

“You're right, but I will help you free her.  She has showed me strength and things I have never thought possible and I will do whatever I can to see her free.”

Sinbad smiled at the prince's determination before clasping hands with him.  With a nod to the crew Dante left to return to the palace.

Sinbad watched him leave before turning to the crew with a determined smile.  “Alright, here's what we do…”

~~~   
  
Maeve was brought out of the prison at midday .  She fought against the men who held her as they dragged her to the stage where she would be tied to a stake and burned.  She looked around with panicking eyes as she tried to catch sight of anyone from the crew.

Sinbad roughly pushed his way through the crowd.  He could see Maeve being tied to the stake from where he was.  Her hair was pulled back out of her face.  Sinbad went through the crowd faster when he saw the blood that came from her forehead.  He looked up to the balcony where King Lorenzo stood, then to various places around the stage to where the rest of the crew were.  He only stopped for a moment to wonder where Prince Dante was.

Prince Dante snuck into the throne room.  Dermott squawked as he came towards his cage.

“Shhh.”  Dante said silencing the hawk.  He took out the key to the cage and opened it.  Dermott flew out.  “Time for your rule to end, father.”  He left the room hoping that his newfound courage had been discovered in time to still save Maeve.

Maeve looked up to King Lorenzo as he began to speak.  “My people.  This woman has been found guilty of witchcraft.  She is the one the Prophecy spoke of.  For this crime she will be punished.”

“What crime?!”  Maeve yelled.  She might have been about to die, but she wasn't dead yet. “The crime of being born?!  You are punishing me for being who I am!!  For things that I can't help!  I can't help the fact that my hair is red, or the fact that, yes, I do know magic!”  There were a few gasps from the crowd when she made that confession.  “But when will it end?!  Will the suffering that you cause, the imprisonment of young girls end with me?!  Or will your fear that another one who practices magic will come along, spur you into continuing this brutal law?!”

“Silence!!”  The king boomed.

“NO!  If I am to die then so be it!  But I will not be silenced by YOU!!!  I will not die silently.  Where will it end?!”  she addressed the crowd.  “What if your daughter, your sister, your niece, or grandchild has red hair?!  Will you support this barbaric treatment then?!  What if it was you, or someone you loved, tied on this stage today?!  Would you be so eager to watch them die?!  How many women, people that you might love, will have to die before you understand that this is wrong?!  Change will come!  It is bound to!!  But that doesn't mean that when it does, it's bad!  Kill me if you must, but it might be someone you love next!!  So you are willing to sacrifice a stranger, but are you willing to sacrifice someone you love?!  Because they may be next!!”  The entire audience went silent.

Dante watched the entire speech from the entrance of the palace.  An admiring smile was on his face as he walked forward.

“Enough!!!”  The king again boomed.  “You have no say in this matter.  This is the law!  It will be fulfilled!”  With that word torches were brought forth.

Sinbad and Dante started to walk faster.  They saw the look of panic on Maeve's face as the torches were brought closer to her.  She couldn't think straight.  Her thoughts weren't focused.  Had they been she might have been able to recall a spell that would allow her to break free and to put out the flames.  Sinbad and Dante both reached the stage at the same time.  Sinbad drew his sword and started to fight some of the soldiers that surrounded the stage.  Doubar, Firouz, Rongar and Mustapha all joined in the fight.  Dante rushed up the stairs and stood in front of Maeve.

“Dante!”  His father shouted.  “Get off the stage.  What is with you?!  Did this witch put a spell on you?”

“No father.  She opened my eyes.  The prophecy did not say that the change in the kingdom would be bad.  Father, look around you, if this life that we now live is one without this change prophesized, then accepting this change cannot make our lives worse.”

“Dante, you are out of line.”

“No father, it is you that is out of line! I will not stand by and let you kill another person whose only crime is living.”  Dante looked back to see that Mustapha was cutting Maeve's ropes.

“Remind me to thank you properly after we get out of this.”  Maeve said as she joined Sinbad and the rest of the crew in walking up besides Prince Dante.

“Treason!”  The king yelled.  “You seven are guilty of treason.  Guards!  Take them away!”  The guards began to walk towards them but stopped when Dermott flew between them and the crew and up to the balcony where King Lorenzo stood.  Dermott started to attack him.  The king lost his balance and began to fall.  The moment after he started his descent, he began to float.  He looked over to the stage and to Maeve who had her hands held out in front of her.  A steady stream of magic came from them.  Gasps came from the crowd as Maeve gently set the king on the ground.

“Now, if this prophecy was bad, and Maeve along with it,” Dante said as he knelt in front of his father, a kind, pleading expression on his face, “why didn't she just let you die?”

~~~   
  
Later, after much convincing from Dante, the king freed the women that were imprisoned.  The crew, King Lorenzo and Prince Dante walked through the different reunions.  Sinbad stopped momentarily to watch as Leif and his daughter were reunited.  A small smile formed on his face.

‘Maybe this wasn't such a bad vacation after all,' he though to himself before focusing on Lorenzo.  “I should thank you for the supplies that you have given to us.”

“You should thank my son.  He's the one who's ordered them.”

Sinbad looked at the king and prince curiously.  “But, they came by order of the king.”

“Yes.  This whole experience has proved that this kingdom is in need of a fresh ruler.  That is why I am stepping down as King and why Dante is taking the throne.”

“Well then,” Sinbad said with a smile to Dante, “Thank you, your Highness, for the supplies.”

“Considering everything that your crew has done for me, that was the least I could do.  When are you leaving?”

“On the next tide.”

“I will see you off then.”

Dante walked with Maeve and Sinbad towards the ship.  Sinbad walked ahead of them to check on the loading of the cargo.

Maeve watched Sinbad go before turning to Dante.  “I guess this is where we part ways.”  Maeve said, before bowing.  “Your Majesty.”

He smiled a little.  “Maeve, if you wouldn't bow and be polite in prison, I really don't expect it now.  In truth being courteous doesn't suit you.”

Maeve smiled.

He cleared his throat.  “But about what you said about us parting ways…” Maeve looked at the approaching crew then back to the prince.  “We don't have to.”  He took her hand.  “Maeve, I have never met anyone like you.  You are the first woman who's ever had the nerve to stand up to me, or my father.  You showed not only my family, but also the entire kingdom that change can be good.  Maeve, my request is simple: stay, be my wife, my queen.”  Maeve heard gasps from the crew, and she noticed the look on Sinbad's face.

She looked at her friends, Dermott, and then she looked back to the prince.  “My prince, I am truly honored by this request, but I am unworthy.  I'm needed here, with the crew.  Your kingdom needs you, and I need to finish my own quest before I dare to settle down.  I can't accept your offer.  I'm sorry.”

He nodded, understanding.  Maeve smiled at her captain and fellow crew's relieved looks.

“Well, it was worth a try.”  He kissed her hand before letting it go.  “I wish you luck in your journey.”  She smiled before kissing him on the cheek.

Sinbad watched her closely as she walked to where the others stood.  She held out her gloved hand and Dermott landed on it.  He looked back to Dante just as he said his last good bye to the crew.  Sinbad stepped forward a clasped Dante's hand.

“Good bye my prince. You'll make a fine king.”

“Thank you Sinbad.”  He looked past him to Maeve.  “You are one lucky man.”  Sinbad followed his gaze and smiled.

“I have a great crew.”

“Take care of her?”

“Always.”

“Don't let her out of your sight, don't let her get away.”  He let go of Sinbad's hand.  “If you ever need a place to stay, my home is your home.”  Sinbad saluted before walking to the others.

Maeve watched as they sailed away from the shore.  She looked to the tiller where the rest of the crew stood and slowly walked to them.

“Mustapha...” he looked at her.  She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“What was that for?”  He asked as he cleared his throat and looked around, slightly uncomfortable.

She smiled.  “The proper ‘thank you' that I owed you for saving my life.”  He blushed and walked away with Rongar.  Doubar followed after handing the tiller to Firouz, laughing at Sinbad's jealous expression.

Maeve watched as they went below deck before looking at Sinbad.  She smiled slightly at his expression before walking over to the bow.  Then she looked down at Dermott who was beside her, before gazing out at the steadily disappearing island.  She smirked again when she heard someone approaching.  She didn't have to look to know it was Sinbad.

“What is it?”  She asked, glancing at him.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.  “I could ask you the same thing.  So, do you regret it?”

She looked at him full on.  “What?”

“Staying.  You just seem distant.  I thought you might be reconsidering rejecting his offer.”

“No,” she said with a sad smile.  “I don't regret staying.  I couldn't marry him, I don't love him.  And besides, I can't fall in love.”

“Why not?”  Sinbad asked curiously.

“I have to finish my quest before I can allow myself to be happy, and besides… I can't give Rumina another chance to take away someone I care about.  I am determined to finish it next time we meet.  I know I will, I have too.”

He nodded.  “Then why the long face?”

“I was just thinking about…” she trailed off as she gazed at the hawk who squawked sadly.

“About Rumina?”  Sinbad asked knowingly.

She nodded.  “Yeah.  I don't know, lately I've realized that I'm not any closer to killing her than I was two years ago, while I was still on the Isle of Dawn with Dim Dim.”

“That's not true.  You've grown so much since then, not just magically but also as a person.  You've opened up to us.  I just wonder when you'll trust me, us enough to tell us why you hate Rumina so much.”

“You will be told Sinbad…”

He cut her off, knowing what was coming next.  “I know I know.  Someday.”

She smiled.  “Someday.”

He frowned as he looked at Dermott, not for the first time wondering what secrets he was hiding.  She thought a moment before sighing.  “Someday soon.”

Sinbad looked at her.  She smiled slightly before walking away.  He looked back at Dermott curiously.  The only answer the bird gave was a simple squawk.

Sinbad sighed.  “Women.”

* * *

_Fin_


End file.
